Here is the Joey Barton, we (Full Time Films) filmed for French Football Weekly. It is 29 minutes long but is full of gems as Joey opens up about his future and how he has settled in at Marseille.

Posted on April 26th, 2013 by scott
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QT Walk to Lille Part 1 from Philip Johnston on Vimeo.

Here is part one of the Walk To Lille video. It is a directors commentary and it does contain some bad language.

Please donate HERE. We only have a week to get past the £3k mark and the MS cause is a worthy one!

Posted on April 24th, 2013 by scott
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QT BartonTeaser.mp4 from Philip Johnston on Vimeo.

Andrew Gibney of French Football Weekly invited me along to the Marseille team hotel, so I could record his interview with Joey Barton.

Here is a teaser for you.

The written interview is up on FFW HERE. Please check it out, as it is great!

A full video version will be up next week.

Posted on April 18th, 2013 by scott
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QT Walk to Lille Promo.mp4 from Philip Johnston on Vimeo.

Only a few days left before we set off on our big 127 mile adventure.

Please help out if you can HERE

Posted on April 2nd, 2013 by scott
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When I was starting out in the blogging world, nothing was said. Basically no one cared. Then as time went on and a started getting a name for myself questions would be asked.

‘Do you want to be a journalist?’ was the main one.

As I have stated in the past the answer is ‘no’ I don’t want to be a journo.

What I do is totally different from what journalists do. I hate the thought of writing match reports. I know I would be terrible at it. I am not interested in breaking news, I don’t have the time to do it and nor do I want to.

Journalists in the past have also question me. ‘What am I doing?’ and they would also try and put me down by saying ‘yeah you couldn’t do our job’ or ‘ you don’t have the nose for an exclusive’ or ‘you don’t have our contacts’.

That does get my back up slightly. I have read the sports pages of newspapers for nearly as long as I’ve been able to read. I know what they do and how its done. For all the mistakes I make on here, that is all down to me having little time and no support. I also know if you read any tabloid website you will find terrible mistakes throughout.

The exclusive part….

A little known fact but this little blog did break the news that Owen Coyle was the new manager at Bolton. Also the Times/hoax story, I could have blown a big chunk of that but chose not to. Its not my job to do that. This blog is about my opinion on what news the journos report on or what I see by watching football. Working in the most exclusive nightclub in Glasgow for a time gave me plenty of exclusives but I am not interested in spreading rumours and wrecking careers.

The best part though is the idea I don’t have their contacts.

Eh… I have plenty of contacts and know people who know people. That includes journalists by the way. I also have great confidence. I can go up to people on the street and strike up a conversation. I work in the media sector, I have dealt with a-list celebs and with top footballers. I am not fazed by these things anymore, not since I was about 12 years old.

The one thing that journos do have over me is reputation.

Its as simple as that. If we both make that call, chances are they will get heard first. Which is fine by me, until they start coming onto my patch and start filming news content.

I work for a well known production company in Scotland. That company backs me when I do my videos for this site. I would say that my videos are better than most of the stuff out there. (The host is a bit dodgy but I can’t afford a professional presenter, mores the pity.)

We have been used by foreign news stations to help cover Champions League matches.

Again if its done well I have no problem praising media sites. I am a huge fan of STV‘s online football content. I think the team there do a marvellous job and their coverage of the Celtic Juventus matches was second to none. That said I have criticised them in the past, but they listen and sometimes agree with me.

No my problem is when papers like the Daily Record and sites like Scotzine and the Away End roll into town and start filming stuff.

The Record is my main gripe.

They have the money, time and get ads for their video content. Yet they offer videos void of imagination and quality.

Looking at the last three videos that they have produced (not the cake one, that was a good job, done by a professional production company). There are a lot of issues going on.

I am not going to lie, I didn’t watch any all the way through. I couldn’t do that to myself.

They used the exact same background for the Danny Lennon and Marc McAusland interviews. What didn’t they have another room or wall?

The McAusland interview also had interference with sound as someone left their mobile phone on. It has happened to us but we were using two cameras and two mics. So we could work around the problem. In the trade its called working with ‘belts and braces on’. Also Marc doesn’t have enough headroom in the top of the shot.

We have no ‘tops and tails’ in the interview sequences to explain who this video is for or made by.

The graphics are also a bit amateurish.

All three videos have issues with sound.

Now in the interviews I can only imagine they would use a hand held mic. That should then be placed just out of shot but as close to the mouth as possible. And it might seem obvious but it should be aimed at the persons mouth.

In the backpage stuff with Hugh Keevins they used radio mics which seemed to be on a different frequency or were faulty. Hugh sounds like he did when I first heard him on Superscore board through a distorted radio!

At the Away End they do try and they are trying to groom the journos of the future and make them competent in using video. The problem is, they aren’t.

Watch their stuff with Scott Booth and Mark McGhee and exposure is a real problem. The sound isn’t healthy either.

In the opening scene of the Booth interview the presenter has far too much head room. You aren’t drawn to him you are looking at the vast space around him. You then have the sound. Its too windy for a radio mic or if they are using a boom mic its too far away from him. The sound and the shot is much better when Booth is being interviewed. Although I would have still preferred it to be tighter.

The shots are also very dark.

In the presser for Mark McGhee, the shot is over exposed.

Having checked on Scotzine TV, I can no longer find it on site. They had interviews from last year or possibly from two years ago, from the league cup semi final. At best they were shoddy. I think they looked like they were filmed using an iPhone or a similar device.

Now I don’t really mind these sites getting access to the SFA or football clubs but it should work on the same basis as the the press getting accreditation for press conferences.

They should be able to prove that they can do a decent job. Plus I, as a professional film maker, should be offered the same kind of access.

What I can do, that these sites can’t, is offer imagination and skill. More people view my films than they do the stuff on offer at these other sites. I look for the interesting stories that people want to see. I tell stories through the art of film.

My work has been recommended by news and media sites around the world. When I turned up at Hampden in the summer, Alex Thomson from Channel 4 was telling me that our equipment was the best there. We got a lot of attention that day.

Yet the thing is ‘The SFA’ continue to ignore me. I am not stepping on any toes when it comes to the written journos. I am not taking work off the news guys. I just want to promote Scottish football in a way that will get people talking.

I’ve emailed all this (last year) to the SFA’s Head of Communications Darryl Broadfoot, on his say so may I add, and I got no reply. Remind me again what he does???

I asked to do the same thing that Scotzine and the Away End have done, in regards of interviews at a game at Hampden and was politely turned down.

The fact I live five minutes away from Hampden also grates but hey ho.

In the past summer I also contacted Livingston football club about an idea I had. I didn’t get any response. So when clubs bleat on about lack of media coverage and exposure, it isn’t always someone else’s fault.

I know this may come across as sour grapes and it should. I am proud of my work and I believe I can help promote Scottish football with films that catch the public’s imagination.

But as always Scottish football closes itself down to the possibility of actually doing something properly.

Posted on March 15th, 2013 by scott
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This is a video looking at how diabetes affects the life of St Mirren goalkeeper Chris Smith. We were lucky enough to catch up with Chris during one of the League Cup finalists training sessions. In our interview Chris is very frank and tells us all the things he has to do that help ensure that his diabetes isn’t an issue during a game.

As a Diabetic myself this was of great interest. It is one of the fastest growing diseases in the world, especially in the UK. So it seems obvious that it would have an impact in sports like football. But the mainstream media seem to shy away from such topics, which is why my videos are helpful.

For more information on Diabetes go to Diabetes UK.

If you have Diabetes and want to learn more about the disease then you can check out some DVDs HERE.

Posted on March 5th, 2013 by scott
Filed under: Article, Blog Video, FullTimeFilms | No Comments »

 

SEAN FALLON

(1922 -2013)

Its a sad day for football as its been announced that Sean Fallon has passed away.

Back in 2011, I was honoured to have the chance to sit down and interview Celtic great Fallon. The man was a true gent; he spent so much time with me that day, answered all my questions and still showed a huge passion for football.

As you can see in the video he would tell me about beating Rangers as a Celtic captain including the 7-1 victory, about the legend that is Jock Stein, about players he scouted and about helping Celtic to their biggest triumph in their history in 1967.

In fact he was the second man after Billy McNeill to lift the European cup.

He was still very much in love with Celtic and their support. Although he did tell me that he had stopped going to Parkhead as much as he did as he’d get a ‘hole in the shoulder’ as fans would tap him on the shoulder asking him his thoughts on the game. So much so that he could never really concentrate on the match in progress.

Its true testament to the man that he’d always answer the fans questions. He said to me, thats what all the success was about, the fans. He wanted results that made the fans smile and happy to go to work on a Monday.

Talking about Jock Stein, you could tell he held him in high regard and was honoured to have assisted the great man. He was also very complimentary to Sir Alex Ferguson who would stay in touch with Sean and invited him to many of dinners that celebrated Fergie’s achievements or Birthdays. So I know Sir ALex will be saddened by todays news.

I would also like to pass on my sympathy’s to Sean’s family, especially to his wife Myra who served up a fine lunch the day we were at their house for the filming. She too is a wonderful person.

I can’t stress how much I loved my day with Sean and his family at their home. They were so welcoming and warm to me that day. I learned so much from that interview and its easily the best I have done.

Sean would represent Ireland and manage Dumbarton (where he tried to sign Johan Cruyff). But he will forever be linked with Celtic, his true love in football.

Meeting Sean was all down to my grandfather who was friends with Mr Fallon and his wife. Today is my grandpa’s birthday and we will celebrate that tonight, although it will be tinged with sadness after such a sad loss.

Good luck Sean!

Posted on January 18th, 2013 by scott
Filed under: Article | 3 Comments »

I always think its nice to share. The worldwide web is full of great things… No not just porn!

We have some fantastic, diverse and unique footballing websites out there. So I have taken it upon myself to let you all know which sites I like and why. Its like free advertising but hopefully you can find one, two or even a whole host of new blogs or websites that grab your attention.

I have kept away from the mainstream media. For me if you want general football news and views you can’t beat the Guardian’s coverage. For Scottish Football checkout STV.

So here is my list, in no particular order.

French Football Weekly - http://frenchfootballweekly.com/

This is a must for all French football loving fans.

They were banging on about Eden Hazard a few years ago, when EPL fans had no clue who he was. The site is clear and well designed. The writing is always enthusiastic and thats why I love it!

Particular highlights are the interviews with Lorient president Loic Fery, the Le 50 (a guide to the top young talents in France) and the features on the lesser known French clubs… Its not all PSG you know.

Hope they revisit the Hall of Fame feature soon. Plus checkout the podcast and online shop.

In Bed With Maradona - http://inbedwithmaradona.com/

The old man of the footballing websites, but with age comes genius, well it does in this case.

They are revolutionaries and always willing to provide a platform for quality writers whether they are well known or not. They’ve had amazing contributions over the years with names such as Iain MacIntosh, Dan Brennan, Stuart Fuller, Jack Lang and many, many more using IBWM as a base for fine work. Many of the great features have then found their way onto World Soccer.

The yearly Top 100 is a wonderful list that showcases the best young talents that world football has to offer. One of my favourite parts of the site is the Subculture section that is regularly updated and includes a look at top footballing art, videos and fashion.

They now have a book out, so have a look at that if you can. The thing that stands out with IBWM is the constant attention to wonderful writing that looks at topics that aren’t the norm.

The Footy Blog - http://blogs.thescore.com/footyblog/

No not even I am that bigheaded to stick my own blog on this list. These blogs are on football and can be located at Canadian sports site the Score.

The blogs from editor Richard Whittall are always interesting and relevant to the ‘soccer’ news of that week. With contributions from the likes of Paolo Bandini, Jarrad Peters, Michael Cox and Ben Lyttleton you can be guaranteed most leagues are covered and in a superb way.

Regularly updated, there is always something good to read on this site.

Alba Espana - http://albaespana.net/

A new site and its still finding its feet.

But with Gary Linton you have a writer who gives his all to research and eager to please with his writing. Its obvious he has a love for Spanish football and wants others to share in that love.

Although he does the odd match preview, I enjoy it when Gary takes a look at players or stories that catch his attention like Fernando Torres, Isco and the young French players finding there way in La Liga. Also checkout his interview with Sky Sports Terry Gibson.

I hope Gary finds more time to write in a regular fashion about stories that interest him from the Spanish game, a few more interviews would be great too. A very good start and lets hope there is more to come in 2013!

The Scottish Football Blog – http://www.scottishfootballblog.co.uk/

Probably the best independent site dedicated to Scottish football!

Why Tom doesn’t write an opinion piece for a Sunday newspaper is beyond me. The man gets Scottish football and puts it into words that everyone understands.

He isn’t the most prolific but when he writes most of us with any interest in the Scottish game read what he has to say. Although he is a Hibee, he isn’t overly biased, in actual fact he isn’t scared at having a go at his club if they need it.

The voice of reason with added humour and a touch of sarcasm. The man wrote a blog every hour for 24 hours straight in the name of charity and raised around £1200. Although he probably didn’t blog again for a month!

Slavic Football Union - http://sfunion.net/

There is a huge amount to learn about when it comes to Eastern European football and what better place to find out more about it than at the SF Union.

The site keeps you up to date in the latest goings on in places like Russia, Ukraine, Croatia, Romania and the like. The features are were my interest perks up as the writers take a look at what make Eastern football so special, whether it be a player, coach, club, rivalry or the politics.

The website has a wealth of knowledge and will hopefully go from strength to strength in the future.

Rinaldi’s Blog - http://giancarlorinaldi.tumblr.com/

Giancarlo Rinaldi is an Italian Scots journalist that loves nothing more than having a sip of grappa while writing about his beloved Fiorentina.

The series in the blog where Giancarlo or a guest author writes up to 100 words on their Calcio legends is one of the best in the footballing community around today. Full of passion, it allows the readers a chance to remember back to days when the Italian league was undoubtably the best in the world.

When reading the blog, make sure to look back through the archives as there are so many gems to view. The story of how difficult it was for the young Giancarlo based in Scotland to buy a Fiorentina strip was definitely a favourite of mine.

The blog is also a good way to keep up to date with what Giancarlo has written for others.

Zonal Marking - http://www.zonalmarking.net/

What can I say about Zonal Marking that hasn’t already been said?

Probably nothing.

The amount of work Michael Cox puts into this site is remarkable. He seems to watch between 5-10 games every weekend. Not only will he watch them but he must study them, that has to be very draining. To concentrate for 90 minutes on tactics, formations and individual players runs etc must be tiring but Michael does it without complaining and that shows true commitment to his website and its viewers.

It may well have started out as a niche but Michael has made it worthwhile and his profile has broken the glass ceiling with paid gigs aplenty.

Well worth its status as one of the best football sites going!

The Belgian Waffle - http://thebelgianwaffle.co.uk/

Brilliant name and a great site.

We all know Belgian footballers are taking over the world but they have a domestic game too.

The Belgian Waffle will tell you more about the players making a name for themselves in Europe’s top leagues, will look at the national team and will also tell you about the latest goings on in the domestic league.

Now Chris is another who isn’t as prolific as I’d like but his knowledge for this smaller country and its football is admirable. His views on Eden Hazard and Christian Benteke gather some criticism from those that love those players.

Hasta El Gol Siempre - http://hastaelgolsiempre.com/

This English speaking site has been around since 2007. Englishman Sam Kelly runs the site and more importantly stays in Buenos Aires. So he is in the thick of the action when it comes to Argentine football.

Regularly updated with match reports and weekend round-ups, the site is essential for those who want to know about the ins and outs of the Argentinean domestic scene. The blog has helped get Sam noticed and he has been used by ESPN, IBWM and W.S.C.

Also checkout the ‘Hand of Pod’ podcast that Sam takes part in and the tours page if you are thinking of going to Argentina and taking in a game.

Tic Tac Tic - http://www.tictactic.co.uk/

Its hard to find an Old Firm website that isn’t over taken by morons looking to have a go at rival fans.

With Tic Tac Tic you have a site dedicated to looking at the tactics Celtic employ during games. Its not over the top or overly biased, it simply gives a critique of the formations and tactics that Neil Lennon uses for the Hoops.

Many questioned if anyone in the Scottish game used tactics, well after the two games against Barcelona this season Lennon showed Europe that Celtic can handle themselves tactically in the biggest stage of them all.

So this site is a must if you want to find out where Charlie Mulgrew is playing these days and where the team win or lose a game. The other highlight to this blog is that we also get to see the tactics of the opposition.

Should be on every Celtic fans bookmarks and also one for any lover of tactics and chalkboards.

Global Football Today - http://globalfootballtoday.com/

Obviously with Brent as my podcast co-host I was going to include his site. But in fairness its a cracking site with a bit of everything from everywhere.

The MLS is well covered with the contributions from dedicated MLS club bloggers. So find out more from teams like LA Galaxy, Sporting KC and Columbus Crew.

They also cover both the US womens and mens national teams as well as having a look at most of the main leagues throughout the world.

Have a look at it yourself and learn more from the fans of the MLS about their own clubs.

Dispatches From A Football Sofa - http://dispatchesfromafootballsofa.com/

I love Greg’s writing.

He looks at current stories within the game and then matches them up with his life, current affairs and a good helping of humour.

I liked his article on how as we get older the romance of international tournament football seems to become diluted. He is in his element when writing about his own Spurs side, where he will attack the side or at his fellow fans depending on his mood.

A superb writer who offers so much more than just simple football opinion.

90 Minutes of Hopp - http://www.90minutesofhopp.com/

There is something infectious and amusing about Sonja’s work.

She keeps you entertained whether its by speaking of her love for Swiss football or for Udinese or for FC Toronto… Equally she is just as entertaining if she posts up an article screaming about how those same topics have made her hate ‘soccer’!

Her photoshopped pictures with her and her ‘heroes’ are hysterical and her infatuation with Mario Balotelli and Chad Barrett border on the creepy but again she manages to get away with it.

Also follow her as she tries to oust Sepp and become the new president of FIFA.

Miniboro - http://miniboro.com/

Its not all about the words. Although at Miniboro there is some fine interviews with various people including some Middlesborough legends.

But for me what makes this site is the fantastic art pieces, like the one above for Brian Laudrup.

The pictures are full of colour, detail and have a touch of humour about them just look at the Edgar Davids and Carlos Valderrama pieces. You can buy these posters or t-shirts too, so make sure you go to the online store. My Garrincha poster is framed and has pride of place on my wall.

The new Sense and Sensi-bility animations are wonderful and I hope artist Steve can find more time to produce more.

A Football Report - http://afootballreport.com/

A fantastic independent football website with a host of talented writers.

No topic seems to be off limits with every corner of the world covered. Recently there was a good piece on Nike selling Umbro, there is also a nice look at players that wear number six and nice article on what its like to be an American fan. Check back through the archives for some more terrific pieces including Amy Eustace’s comparisons between Newcastle and Udinese.

Founded by the Beard brothers there is no doubt this site is built its success around great loyal writers.

Lovely Left Foot - http://lovelyleftfoot.com/web/

This site is great at providing a platform for new exciting writers.

They have two super series on the go, that are always fun to look through. They are; the ‘Lovely Left Footers’ which surprisingly enough look at great players who play with their left feet and ‘one hit wonders’ which looks at teams that had great but limited success.

Also try and find time for the LLF’s fine podcasts!

Backpage Football - http://backpagefootball.com/

This was one of the first sites that really took my interest and made me want to write.

Irish based and the stuff on Irish football is always interesting as is their articles on the EPL. But look out for the hidden masterpieces like the stuff on the Australian A-League.

Always consistent with relevant, interesting stories and opinions. A site that should be on every football fans bookmarks. They too have a successful podcast.

The Football Attic - http://thefootballattic.blogspot.co.uk/

They make it cool to be geeky!

Love this site and its only recently turned a year old. Updated by Richard and Chris, they reminisce about football nostalgia that we all loved to have as we grew up.

Things like Subbuteo, Panini stickers, old school tracksuits,retro magazines and world cup memorabilia all get the Football Attic treatment.

The League of Blogs idea was great and brought the football blogging community together. Remember to check out their shop. A nice niche site.

Swiss Ramble - http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/

An outstanding site that stands out as the best when dealing with football and finances.

In this day and age football is becoming more and more like a business and less like a sport. Football fans need to learn more about economics just so they can understand why they can’t spend so much in a transfer window. This is where Swiss Ramble comes in.

Huge on research, no stone is left unturned when looking at a clubs financial means. His take on Arsenal is impressive as was his look at the problems facing AC Milan.

Clubs must dread when Swiss Ramble sets his sites on their books. A quality website, that I read every time he posts something new.

3nil - http://www.threenil.com/

Again its not all about words when it comes to the online community. We have great shops out there too, full of unique items I am desperate to buy!

Thanks to my friend Andrew Gibney, I have recently came across this new site from Australia that sells wonderful t-shirts designed by 3nil. My personal favourites are the Leo, Zizou and on/offside shirts.

I also love the Bernabeu posters and think the iphone covers are interesting.

Definitely worth a look, especially with Christmas coming up!

A United View - http://aunitedview.blogspot.co.uk/

As a blog it isn’t all about Sheffield United, its about all things football but it usually comes from a Sheffield United fans perspective as Ian is in fact a United fan.

His look back at Charles Green’s time as Chief Executive at Bramall Lane was one of the first sources Rangers and other Scottish football fans went to, so they could learn more about the man. He touched on the Ched Evans case and that article was honest, raw and hard hitting. Those are the qualities you get from this blog, opinions from an honest man.

There are also some fine interviews with former Blades players such as Brian Deane and Alan Kelly.

Its a blog that is a must for Sheffield United fans but its also one that any football fan can appreciate.

Bundesliga Fanatic - http://bundesligafanatic.com/

“Bundesliga Fanatic has long been a must-read for everyone interested in German football – and it just got better still”. That is not a quote from me but respected German journalist Raphael Honigstein. So who am I to argue?

Full of German news and features the site has a professional feel to it.

The scandalous story about how the Bild helped Germany to win the World Cup by Niklas Wildhagen is a fascinating read. The team also work hard in translating great interviews from German into English, a particular favourite was one about the dark side of German fan culture.

The Germans are known for being efficient and this site sums up that trait perfectly. An enjoyable site to read.

Left Back in the Changing Room - http://leftbackinthechangingroom.blogspot.co.uk/

This blog probably reminds me more of mine than any other out there. Its not to glossy, it relies on good story telling and Rob Marrs has that down to a tee.

Never scared to touch any topic, Rob is always available to offer an opinion and actively seeks comments whether they agree with him or not.

Always on hand to talk about Liverpool, Scotland and remembering his favourite players. Every week there are new stories in football and its always fun to seek out Rob’s thoughts on them.

A site just like this but with better writing.

Snap Kaka Pop - http://snapkakapop.blogspot.co.uk/

Now first off can I say what a genius Jack Lang is, this blog name has to win first prize for best name ever! Also worth pointing out Jack is a fantastic writer.

If there is anything worth writing about when it comes to Brazilian football then chances are Jack has already written about them. His passion for the Brazilian national team knows no bounds and his enthusiasm jumps out of the screen. Having met him, I can confirm he is just as passionate talking about Brazil in real life too!

A wonderfully talented writer who still manages to find time for his blog despite callings from all the media to do stuff for them.

JuventiKnows - http://juventiknows.com/

Juventus are one of the best supported teams in the world, so it makes sense that they’d have a terrific fan run website like this.

All the Co-founders are diehard Juve supporters and all terrific writers in their own right too.

What I love about this site is that it is dedicated to all things Juventus – whether that be team news, news stories, features and looking at the clubs history.

Also its fantastic that they take time out to report on the youth teams, a sign of true dedication. For all your Juventus needs then you need to go no further than this website.

Ekstraklasa Review - http://ekstraklasareview.wordpress.com/

Who on earth knows anything about Polish football? Well this website for one.

Interest in Polish football has increased this year what with the Euros and then Sports Tonight Live showing live games each weekend from the Polish League. So demand in writer Ryan Hubbard has been high.

Ryan brings this still some what unknown league to life in this blog. Telling us more about the leagues, the teams and the players that play in them.

He provides reports on the national team, who are in England’s World Cup qualifying group.

Another blog that shows there is more to European football than just the top 4 leagues.

On Goals Scored - http://www.ongoalsscored.com/

Can football data really be changed into art? Yes yes it can, just checkout this site if you don’t believe me.

It’s so interesting to look at fancy pictures and then relate it to football statistics. Don’t get me wrong I look and look and still don’t really get the science behind it but the pictures are so pretty.

Definitely unique and creative. A big thumbs up for a talented, exciting blog.

From A Girl Who Loves The Gunners - http://ibelieveinarsenal.arseblog.com/

Some club specific blogs are just unashamedly biased… That is the case with Sian’s on Arsenal and she makes no apologies for that.

She is very, very passionate about the Gunners and very protective of there players. Heaven help you if you leave though, I don’t think Robin or Samir will ever be forgiven.

Sian is to the point and very witty. She is able to slag off opposition players, managers and fans with such sarcasm that it makes you smile to just remember the put downs, months afterwards. Her goodbye letter to Cesc Fabregas was also very touching.

A nice, dare I say cooky individual, whose rants can make you smile as long as you are not on the end of them.

Spirit of Mirko - http://spiritofmirko.com/

Another unique and very interesting blog. This time from the mind of a man who calls himself Mirko Bolesan (A Cardiff City trialist) yet that is not his real name!

Not many sites have the imagination to review a teams seasons by using word clouds. Credit for the above picture goes to Tagxedo. Another one for nostalgia lovers as we look back at games, toys and books from years past. Also another stats lover.

This site is a great resource tool for African football and already has its first preview up on the 2013 African Nations Cup.

Forza Italian Football - http://forzaitalianfootball.com/

I love Italian football. So I need to find places to feed that love and one of the best is this site.

It includes news on Serie A and Serie B as well as the Azzurri. They take a look at the Italian newspaper headlines and cracking features on Calcio.

I enjoy looking at the Classic Calico section, which features players and figures of the past. There is also a nice tactics section. Plus a terrific podcast.

Dan Leydon Illustration - http://danleydon.tumblr.com/

Another fantastic site from a wonderfully creative artist. The above drawing came within hours of Zlatan dismantling England.

His page lights up with tales told to us in comic book form. They can be imaginative and funny. His illustration of Neymar was beyond creative and took my breathe away.

Have to check it out if you like art, comics and football!

I Like Football Me – http://ilikefootballme.wordpress.com/

Another blog by a Glaswegian like myself. But unlike me, Euan concentrates on Brazilian football and unlike me he doesn’t need to put up with the Glasgow weather as he is now based in Sao Paulo (Lucky so an so!).

Its regularly updated with top class match reports from the Brazilian leagues. What makes Euan’s site different is that his analysis of the games are second to none. He waxes lyrical on formations and tactics and has the chalkboards well drawn and gives us readers a greater understanding of the Brazilian domestic game.

A superb base if you want to know more about Brazilian football especially the tactics.

The Away End - http://www.theawayend.net/

A Scottish football website that goes beyond the Old Firm and the SPL.

The site is a big supporter of the womens game and although I am not a fan of the TV show (For technical reasons) its great that The Away End gives the ladies much needed exposure.

With their link up with a Scottish Uni journalism course, the writers you see on the site are the possible future of Scottish football writing. There’ss also a very informative podcast that has very knowledgable guests who discuss the latest goings on in Scottish football.

The Stiles Council - http://www.thestilescouncil.com/

Now we have had club specific blogs so why not one for international sides?

Well this effort by Chris Nee is dedicated to the English national team for his sins (although that is a bit rich from me, a Scottish fan). Its nice to see someone step away from all the club stuff and get right into the international scene.

So the site is full of match previews, looks at the squad picked by Roy, glances at the U21s and obviously talks about results and where England go next.

1970 PSG - http://1970psg.com/

Another superb club specific blog for a team outside of the UK.

There is no doubt that PSG are fast becoming an elite club in Europe. This blog gives you the run down of all the goings on in Paris like how is Zlatan settling in, is Carlos boys doing well in Ligue 1 and much more.

With Ross Mackiewicz at the helm you are guaranteed a stylish blog with some great writing too.

Be sure to check this out before PSG rule Europe.

Bundesliga Football - http://bundesligafootball.co.uk/

Another relatively new website but has already started making a name for itself with a great look at German football.

A particular highlight for me, are the interviews these guys get. From Kevin De Bruyne to Thomas Schaaf to Michael Mancienne to Thomas Hitzlsperger. A lot of that seems to be down to Ross Dunbar, so well done him.

But in fairness all their columnists are up there with their German knowledge and writing. Its a site that looks to be on its way up.

Roker Report - http://www.rokerreport.com/

Its not only fancy foreign sides that can do club specific blogs well you know. This effort on Sunderland is a cracker.

They look in-depth at the goings on with the team, they question the manager when they have to and provide strong match previews and reports.

I love the fact they get bloggers or fans from the teams they are about to play to get the lowdown on the opposition and see if they fancy their chances.

Once again listen to their podcast. A nice well rounded site that should make Sunderland fans proud of at least one thing this season.

Who Scored - http://www.whoscored.com/

This website is absolutely great for getting your stats. At a quick glance you can spot how many cards a team has picked up or what their pass completion rate is.

All of the top leagues in Europe are covered.

Its also nice that their are interesting blogs that go beyond the stats which give their articles starting points. For example Alistair Tweedale explains in his latest blog that although WBA are 5th in the EPL, only Reading and Stoke have averaged less in possession this season!

Top insight and a great team there, that must have the patience of saints to keep on top of all the stats.

Two Hundred Percent - http://www.twohundredpercent.net/

Another fine site that has been around for years and has already deservedly won a lot of acclaim.

Like all sites they are dependent on writers and they are lucky that they have a collection of good ones here. I particularly liked Mark’s take on Old firm fans and also highlighted the problem we have in the West of Scotland with stupid idiots allowed to phone in radio stations. Ian King’s look at Hereford United was also fascinating.

Seems to keep itself to the British game, but their is nothing wrong in that. Always good for an interesting read.

The Real FA Cup - http://therealfacup.co.uk/

The FA Cup doesn’t start in the Third Round you know!

Damon and Simon prefer good honest football to the money spinning faux-glamours stuff that the EPL provides. So they concentrate on The Fa Cup before all the so called big boys join the fray.

They take in games involving teams most of us haven’t even heard of and they re-tell the tale to us all on the blog. Full of weird and wonderful stories that you will only encounter from the lower league sides, this is a terrific blog and open to new writers who share in their love.

Gets back to the grass roots. An inspired website.

Blagul Fotboll - http://blagulfotboll.wordpress.com/

Andy Hudson has stop jumping from stadium to stadium and seems set on Swedish football.

He loves the game over there and he will answer all your questions on players leaving that league for your team. His interviews with the characters involved in the Swedish game are always insightful. A nice piece on the hopes for AIK as it was full of useful information.

Once criticism I have is Andy doesn’t write enough on the site. Now its easy for me to say as I don’t have to travel to Sweden or try and find dodgy streams. Plus there is the matter of his real job. Hopefully we will see more from Andy talking about the Swedes come the turn of the year.

Ross County Tactics - http://rosscountytactics.com/

Another fine blog for the wannabe coaches out there and the tactical lovers.

John Maxwell uses his chalkboards to show off the fine tactics employed by SPL newcomers Ross County. Now I am sure many of you haven’t heard of Dingwall, well broaden your minds and learn about their teams style of play.

John provides a great overview of County’s home games and looks at how the team are set up and illustrates his points through things as simple as Subbuteo men.

One more point for a geeks imagination. Brilliant!

The Elastico - http://www.theelastico.com/

The Elastico is a tremendous site full of different layers.

The scouting part of the site, where they look at up and coming talents is very impressive and detailed. A site for all those wanting to know about the worlds top young stars.

Another fine independent site that gets good interviews with the likes of Arsenal’ s Andre Santos and Ghanian striker Asamoah Gyan talking to the Elastico.

PortuGOAL.net - http://www.portugoal.net/

The Portuguese game has been huge in the past what with the European successes of Benfica and Porto. So I’d have thought that it wouldn’t be so hard to find a good English speaking website.

Well there is at least PortuGoal and to be fair it covers all your needs. With Ben Shave on board it was always going to be a success. Its not just Ben though, Stephen Gillet wrote a great piece on how the influx of Braga stars into the national team show that the big three are using less home talent.

We have a look at the leagues, the clubs (not just the big three) and the players. Plus the international team is well covered too.

For a league with such passionate fans, there had to be a Portuguese site worthy of an entry into this list. Obrigado PortuGOAL.

The Two Unfortunates - http://thetwounfortunates.com/

What there is more to English football than just the Premier League? Are you sure?

The Two Unfortunates is a fine blog that caters for the masses that enjoy the football league, you know the English leagues outside of the Premier League.

Generous with their time and they are always on the lookout for new voices to speak their mind about the teams in the football league. There is also a great networks page where they put up bloggers for each of the teams.

Blueprint for Football - http://www.blueprintforfootball.com/

This is a blog I have only recently stumbled across and I really enjoyed the articles that they have put up so far.

They seem to concentrate mainly on youth football. The interview/article based on Hamilton Accies and their academy coach was excellent and found its way onto the IBWM website. The articles on the restructuring of Scottish football were also of a good standard.

Hopefully its only the start for this site and we see a lot more from them in the future.

Tall Coconuts - http://www.tallcoconuts.com/

What is it with Brazilian football and fine writers? They seem to go together like… Well Brazil and World Cups.

At Tall Coconuts we have yet another superb writer in James Young. The site gives us a peek at some of his great works that generally end up in places like the Telegraph or IBWM but its nice to visit his site and find a collection of his work in the one place. So you don’t miss anything.

His piece looking at how a returning Kaka might save Neymar’s prayers in the national time was a top read.

 

Football Espana - http://www.football-espana.net/ 

When a league can boast the likes of Messi and Ronaldo and has the mighty Barca and Real in it. Then you need to find a site that will cater for all your La Liga needs! Also lets not forget Spain have a not too shabby international side either.

Well at Football Espana they have a wonderful team of writers that on paper (if they could only use paper) could give the Spanish side a run for their money. With talent like Kieran Canning, Joel Richards, Rob Paton, Mina Rzouki, Olly Dawes and David Cartlidge on board then they have a steady ship.

Up to the minute news headlines, good features and nice blogs its good that this site is going places. Your one stop shop for Spanish football.

Also checkout their sister site http://www.football-italia.net/ . Although I would prefer it if they didn’t use the same writers as regularly as they do.

 

Savile Rogue - http://www.savile-rogue.com/

As you might have guessed already looking through this list, I like things that are unique and with Savile Rogue they offer you that in the form of cashmere scarves in the colours of your football team.

The scarves look amazing and if anyone wants to get me one for Christmas then they will be my friend for life. With pretty much every English and Scottish team covered you are spoilt for choice. Lovers of teams abroad will also enjoy the fact that many of the teams from distant lands are covered too. Have a look and see if your team are there.

Some clubs also have matching socks too.

The scarves aren’t cheap but it is cashmere and at £50-£70 they aren’t really that dear either.

This is very much up my street.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

So there you have it. My list of 50 different football inspired websites, that I believe are well worth a nosey.

I hope you managed to stay awake and enjoyed this long piece. I will probably stay away from writing for at least 48 hours now!

This is all about sharing and showing my appreation for some great sites out there. If your website or your favourite site isn’t listed then it will be down to various reasons like ‘I forgot’, ‘Have never seen it’, ‘It  nearly got in’ or ‘I simply don’t like you’.

Feel free to use the comments page to highlight your favourite sites.

Thank you!

Posted on November 16th, 2012 by scott
Filed under: Article | 24 Comments »

We have all heard of the branded footballer. Brand Beckham is probably the worlds best known for any footballer both past and present. But in 1901 Scottish international forward Robert Smyth McColl started his own brand and its one that remains to this day.

McColl had been a footballer for Queens Park in Glasgow’s southside at the age of 18. Two years later he was representing Scotland.

In his 13 appearances for the Scottish national team, McColl scored 13 times. That includes hat-tricks against Wales, Ireland and the ‘Auld Enemy’ England. All in the space of a year. That is a phenomenal record by anyones standards.

Always a smart young man when it came to money, McColl often rejected professional contracts that he deemed not good enough. When he did leave Queens Park it was to join Newcastle United who offered a pound more than rivals for his signature.

Newcastle also gave Robert a whopping sum of £300 as a signing on fee in 1901. The figure was used to help with his brother Tom who had a sweet shop, newsagent business.

Seeing that Robert had the footballing career that was well known in Scotland and in particular Glasgow, the bothers decided to change the name of the shops from ‘T N McColl’ to ‘RS McColl’. Basically they exploited the name, they found the brand!

As a footballer Robert McColl became disillusioned with life down south as he was being kicked regularly from pillar to post. In 1905 he returned to Glasgow to play for Rangers before returning to Queens Park in 1907.

In his final game for the ‘Spiders’ McColl would net an incredible six times against, now defunct, Port Glasgow Athletic. The achievement has not been equalled or bettered at Hampden since that day.

The game that he will be forever remembered for though was the 4-1 win Scotland had over rivals England, where he got that famous hat-trick (which was his last match for his country). The man showed his love and respect for the teammates he had that day and would often take them down to Wembley for Scotland away games funded from his own pocket.

One of his Scotland strips (which wasn’t navy blue but primrose and pink) is in the Hampden museum and that sparked my interest in the man, when I saw it in there years ago as I knew the name from the shops.

Robert Smyth McColl is also in the SFA’s hall of fame.

The RS McColl confectionary business grew from strength to strength will Robert and Tom opening up to 150 stores, often in  well thought out locations beside busy places like cinemas and train stations.

In 1931 the McColl brothers sold their franchise to huge chocolate and confectionary makers Cadbury’s although the brothers were kept on to help the running of the business.

In fact Robert, also known as ‘Toffee Bob’, managed a few games for the McColl factory football team, deciding to give his legs a rest and help out by playing in goals.

Robert Smyth McColl died in 1958 but left a unique footballing, business and social legacy that remains to this day.

Now 111 years after his initial stake in the company ‘RS McColl’ newsagents can still be found in Scotland’s streets. Will we say they same about Brand Beckham in 2112?

Posted on October 15th, 2012 by scott
Filed under: Article | 2 Comments »

Blogging and Twitter has thrown me a friend in Andrew Gibney. It’s frightening how alike we are. We have done podcasts together and been away to Paris, its uncanny how well we get on and know what each other is thinking. (Beginning to make us sound like a couple here).

Well we often share ideas on what we planning for our sites. So it’s not unusual for one of us to ask the other to jump on Skype to discuss a thought that has just popped into our heads.

Most of the time the thoughts are either brilliant or extremely woeful and funny as we rip them apart.

So at around one in the morning Andrew tells me ‘I am thinking of walking to Lille’.

I obviously burst out laughing. Then importantly I asked him ‘why?’

He responded ‘Cause its something to say I have done with my life’.

That’s when it got serious and I became very interested in taking part and joining him.

It’s a challenge and like Andrew I want to achieve something different with my life. I am at that age when friends are settling down, getting married and having kids. So I want to aim at doing something different and something to be proud of.

I immediately wanted to make sure this walk would be for charity, Andrew telling me that he wanted to do it for an MS charity.

His father-in-law has the disease and struggles to walk now. Seems an ideal charity to help out. After telling my family of the plan they agreed it was a great idea and a good cause, I never realised that there were people close to us with MS.

So Andrew, two of his work colleagues and myself are now planning to walk from Sheffield to Lille. (Yeah I need to get to Sheffield but I am not walking that part!)

Now we can’t walk on water and I can’t swim so it’s actually walking from Sheffield to Hull. Ferry to Zebrugge in Belgium and then off to Lille.

All to be done in April 2013.

Now we are obviously football writers, so it has to involve the beautiful game.

We’re aiming to be in Lille for the weekend of the 12^th of April, so we can catch the Lille OSC game against Olympique Marseille (As I write this I realise I have no wish to see that team after what they did in 1993). On our trip we hope to visit the stadiums of Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Scunthorpe Utd, Doncaster Rovers, Hull City, Club Brugge, Cercle Brugge, SV Roeslare, KV Kortrijk and Mouscron inside six days.

Maybe not the glamour clubs or stadia of European football but they are convenient with the travelling plans.

Now it’s going to be tough. Yes I have walked for around 27 years of my life and I do a lot of it, as I don’t drive. But I am also a Type One diabetic with Asthma, another reason for the decision to do it iss to prove to myself that I actually can do this.

I am aiming to do a video diary of our trip, so that can’t go wrong and at least you will get to see us at our best and probably at our worst.

From now until April I shall be trying to lose excess weight and aim to up my fitness to a standard capable of walking up to 30 miles a day.

Now as I say this is for a very worthwhile charity. You can really help us. Check on the link below and please donate if you can.

https://www.justgiving.com/teams/WalkToLille

We would also like any advice from those who have done similar challenges. Or if you have ideas on how we can get more exposure, any help would be welcome.

I will hope to do a blog a month till the event to update you all on our progress and to keep the momentum going. But I promise i won’t bang on and on about it until March.

Thanks for reading.

Posted on August 2nd, 2012 by scott
Filed under: Article, Charity | No Comments »